Device for applying paper bags to hanger-supported garments



June 21, 1955 R. A. KEEFE. I 2,

DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAPER BAGS TO HANGER-SUPPORTED GARMENTS Filed June23. 1954 s Sheefs-Sheet 1 P June 21, 1955 2,711,276

DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAPER BAGS TO HANGER-SUPPORTED GARMENTS R. A. KEEFE3 ShtS-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1954 R. A. KEEFE 2,711,276

DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAPER BAGS TO HANGER-SUPPORTED GARMENTS June 21,1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 23, 1954 United States Patent I" DEVIEFGR APPLE ENG PAPER BAGS T HANGER-SUPPGRTED GARMENTS Richard A. Keefe,Oak Park, Ill. Application June 23, 1954, Serial No. 438,674

Claims. (Cl. 226-18) The present invention relates generally to devicesfor applying to hanger-supported garments, paper bags having openbottoms and closed top portions with centrally disposed aperturestherein for receiving the hooks of the hangers. More particularly, theinvention relates to that type of device which is primarily designed foruse in a dry cleaning establishment, comprises a vertical rod, a hook onthe upper end of the rod for suspending the rod from a point a smalldistance beneath the ceiling of the establishment, a depending eye onthe lower end of the rod for receiving the hook of a hanger with acleaned garment thereon, a combined supporting and cutting member on theupper portion of the rod and a plurality of nested paper bags insurrounding relation with the rod and with the aperture defining partsof their closed to ortions restin on the member, and is 6 used, by firsthooking the hook of the hanger onto the eye in order to suspend thehanger with the garment thereon from the lower end of the rod, thenjerking or pulling downwards on the innermost bag in order to release itfrom the combined supporting and cutting that they taper upwards andhave non-parallel side margins or forming the bags so that they aregenerally rectangular but progressively increase in size from theinnermost bag to the outermost bag. In practice, it has been found thatthe bags it formed so that they taper upwards for nesting purposes, aredifiicult to produce, result in wastage of paper and do not snugly andproperly encase the hanger-supported garments to which they are applied.It has also been found that the bags if made rectangular but ofprogressively increasing size from the innermost bag to the outermostbag are difiicult and costly to produce and nest.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device of the typeunder consideration which is an improvement upon, and obviates theobjections to, previously designed devices and is characterized by thefact a that the paper bags are generally rectangular and the same insize and are maintained in nested relation due to a particular foldingof their side portions whereby they are upwardly tapered when in nestedrelation and supported on the combined supporting and cutting member onthe upper portion of the rod. Generally speaking, each bag is folded onstraight upwardly convergent lines which extend upwards from the lowercorners of the bag to the ends of the centrally disposed aperture in theclosed top portion of the bag and result in the upper corner portions ofthe bag being in the form of in-folded triangular flaps which give thebag as a whole pended hanger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the lastmentioned character in which the triangular flaps at one side of thenested bags are folded forwards and the triangular flaps at the otherside of the nested bags are folded rearwards.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type andcharacter under consideration in which the combined supporting andcutting member is of novel construction and is so designed that it maybe readily adjusted upwards on the rod when the nested bags are of largesize and downwards on the rod when the nested bags are of intermediateor small size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bag applyingdevice which is generally of new and improved construction, effectivelyand efiiciently fulfills its intended purpose and is capable of beingmanipulated with facility and produced at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects of the invention and various advantages andcharacteristics of the present bag applying device will be apparent froma consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at.the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification ordisclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a front view showing a bag applying device embodying theinvention with a garment carrying hanger in suspended relation with theeye on the lower end of the vertically extending rod and before theinnermost paper bag has been jerked or pulled downwards so as to releaseit from the combined supporting and cutting member on the upper portionof the rod.

Figure 2 is a similar view except that it shows the innermost bag afterit has been jerked or pulled downwards so as to release it from thecombined supporting and connecting member by causing the latter torupture or sever the aperture defining part of the closed top portion ofthe innermost bag;

Figure 3 is a vertical section showing the innermost bag after it hasbeen slid fully downwards so as to encase the garment on theeye-suspended hanger;

Figure 4 is a front view illustrating in detail the nested relation ofthe paper bags;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 andshowing the folded flap arrangement of one of the bags;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the manner in whichthe flaps of the down pulled innermost bag automatically open when thebag is brought into encasing relation with the garment on theeye-suspended hanger;

Figure 7 is an enlarged view, partially in section and I partially inelevation, of the upper portion of the device;

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-43 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a similar horizontal section except that it shows thecombined supporting and cutting member turned so as to release it fordownward adjustment or sliding movement relatively to the verticallyextending rod; and

Patented June 21, E955 Figure is a perspective of the combinedsupporting and cutting member.

The device that is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred formor embodiment of the invention. It is adapted for use in a dry cleaningor like establishment and serves as a medium or instrumentality forapplying a paper bag to a cleaned garment 11 on a conventional hanger12. The hanger is shown in the dra, ing as being of standard orconventional design and comprising a triangular Wire body 13 with anupstanding hook 14 at its upper corner. As its principal components orparts, the device comprises a rod 15, a hook 16, an eye 17, a combinedsupporting and cutting member 18 and a plurality of nested paper bags19.

The rod 15 when in its operative position extends vertically and issuspended by the hook 16 from a point a small distance beneath theceiling of the establishment in which the device is employed. It isformed of wood or any other suitable material and is of such length thatwhen it is in its operative position, its lower end is positioned atsubstantially shoulder height with respect to the floor of theestablishment. The upper portion of the rod 15 is provided with an upperpair of outwardly extending lugs 2% an intermediate pair of outwardlyextending lugs 21 and a lower pair of outwardly extending lugs 22. Thesepairs of lugs permit the combined supporting and cutting member 18 to besupported at different heights depending upon whether the paper bags areof large, intermediate or small size. The lugs are positioneddiametrically opposite one another and are located a small distancebeneath the upper extremity of the rod. The lugs 21 are positioneddiametrically opposite one another and are disposed in verticalalignment with, and a small distance beneath, the lugs 20. The

lugs 22 are positioned diametrically opposite one another and aredisposed in vertical alignment with, and a 7 small distance beneath, thelugs 21.

The hook 16 of the device is suitably connected to, and projects upwardsfrom, the upper extremity of the rod 15 and serves to suspend the rodfrom a horizontal bar 23. It is contemplated that the latter will besuitably supported so that it is disposed a small distance beneath theceiling of the establishment where the device is em ployed. R'hen it isdesired to use the device, the hook 16 is hooked onto the horizontal bar23 in order to hold the rod in a suspended position. It is contemplatedthat the rod will be removed from the bar 23 when the device is notbeing used or it is necessary to place another plurality of nested paperbags on the rod.

The eye 17 depends from the lower end of the rod 15 y and embodies anupstanding screw threaded shank 24 which is screwed into the lowerextremity of the rod. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,the eye 17 is adapted to receive the hook 34 of the hanger 12 inconnection with use of the device.

The combined supporting and cutting member 13 of the device is shown inthe drawings as being supported on the upper lugs 2%. It comprises asleeve 25 and a pair of outwardly extending diametrically oppositetriangular blades 26. The sleeve 25 of the combined supporting andcutting member is formed of sheet metal or other suitable material andextends around, and fits slidably on, the upper portion of the rod 1.5.The front and rear portions of the sleeve are struck or deflectedoutwards so as to form inwardly facing open ended vertically extendingchannels 27 which are of such cross sectional shape as slidably toreceive the outwardly extending lugs when the combined supporting andcutting member is turned 90 from its normal position wherein thechannels as shown in Figures 7 and 8 are out of vertical alignment withthe lugs into the position shown in Figure 9 wherein the channels are inregistry with the lugs and permit the combined supporting and cuttingmember to he slid upwards or downwards relatively to the rod. When themember is supported on the lugs 29 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7 ofthe drawings and it is desired to lower the member so as to adapt thedevice for use with intermediate sized bags, the member is given aquarter turn so as to bring the channels 27 into registry with the lugs20. The member is then slid downwards until the lower end of the sleeve25 is positioned directly above the lugs 21. Thereafter the member isgiven another quarter turn in order to bring the channels out ofalignment with the lugs 21 and cause the member to be supported by suchlugs. The same procedure is followed when it is desired to slide themember 18 downwards onto the lugs 22 so as to adapt the device for usewith small sized bags. The blades 26 of the combined supporting andcutting member are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to diametricallyopposite portions of the sleeve 25 and are arranged so that they extendat right angles to the channels 27. The outer side edges of the bladesare upwardly convergent. In addition, they are beveled so as to formcutting edges 28.

The paper bags 19 are generally rectangular in configuration and consistof front pieces 29 and rear pieces 3" They are adapted when in nestedrelation to surround the rod 15 and be releasably supported by thecombined supporting and cutting member 18. The bottoms of the bags areopen. The side margins of the front and back pieces of the bags arejoined together and extend in parallel relation. The top margins of thefront and back pieces 29 and 30 of the bags 19 are upwardly tapered soas to conform to the configuration of the upper portion of the body 13of the hanger 12. They are joined together except at the centralportions thereof in order that the bags have closed upper portions withcentrally disposed hook-receiving apertures 31 therein. In order topermit the bags to be nested closely together,

each bag is folded on straight upwardly convergent lines which extendupwards from the lower corners of the bag to the ends of the centrallydisposed aperture in the closed top portion of the bag and result in theupper corner portions of the bag being in the form of in-foldedtriangular flaps 32 which give the bag as a whole an upwardly taperedconfiguration or contour. As shown in the drawings, the in-foldedtriangular flaps at one side of the bags are folded forward and theflaps at the other side of the bags are folded rearwards. Each bag, withthe exception of the outermost bag, fits entirely within the next outerbag. When the nested bags 19 are in their operative position, theaperture defining parts of the closed upper portions of the bags rest onthe blades 26 of the combined supporting and cutting member 18.

The nested bags are mounted in place by inserting the rod 15 into theopen bottom of the innermost bag and then shifting or sliding the rodupwards until the blades of the combined supporting and cutting memberare in underlying relation with the aperture defining parts of theclosed upper portions of the bags.

When it is desired to use the device, the hook 14 of the hanger 12 ismanipulated into hooked relation with the eye 17 in order that thehanger with the cleaned garment 11 thereon is suspended from the lowerend of the rod 15. Thereafter, the inner most bag is jerked or pulledsharply downwards in order to release it from its supported'positionwith respect to the combined supporting and cutting member 18. Inconnection with the downward jerking or pulling action, the edges 28 ofthe blades 26 rupture or sever the aperture defining part of the closedupper portion of the innermost bag and thus release the bag. Afterrelease of the innermost bag from the member 13, the bag is sliddownwards into a position wherein it encases the garment 11 and itsclosed upper portion rests on the shoulders of the garment. Inconnection with downward sliding movement of the innermost bag,'theinfolded triangular flaps 32 automatically swing outwards into an openposition when the fold lines thereof encounter or engage the shouldersof the garment. After the innermost bag is slid downwards so as toencase the hanger-supported garment, the hanger is removed from the rod15 by detaching the hook 14 from the eye 17. It is contemplated that theheretofore mentioned operations will be repeatedly carried out until allof the bags 19 have been used. Thereafter, a new group of bags isapplied to the rod so that the device is again in readiness for use.

The hereindescribed device is simple in design, effectively andefliciently fulfills its intended purpose and may be produced at acomparatively low cost due to the particular folded arrangement of thenested bags 19 and the construction or design of the combined supportingand cutting member 18.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a device adapted to be used in a drycleaning or like establishment to apply bags to garments or otherarticles on conventional hookequipped hangers and comprising avertically extending rod provided at its upper end with means forsuspending it from a support near the ceiling of the establishment andhaving at its lower end means whereby the hook of a hanger with agarment thereon may be detachably connected to it, a combined supportingand cutting member mounted on the upper portion of the rod, and aplurality of generally rectangular uniformly sized nested bags havingopen bottoms, substantially parallel side margins and closed topportions with centrally disposed hook-receiving apertures therein,extending around the rod, having the aperture defining parts of theirclosed upper portions resting normally on the combined supporting andcutting member and folded inwards on straight upwardly convergent lineswhich extend upwards from the lower corners of the bags to the ends ofthe centrally disposed apertures in the closed top portions of the bagsand re sult in the upper corner portions of the bags being in the formof infolded triangular flaps which give the bags as a whole an upwardlytapered configuration and make for close nesting of the bags, theinnermost bag being adapted, when a hanger with a garment thereon isconnected to said means on the lower end of the rod, first to be jerkedor pulled downwards in order to release it from the combined supportingand cutting member by causing the latter partially to rupture or severthe aperture defining part of the closed top portion of the innermostbag and then slid downwards into encasing relation with the garment onthe connected hanger, said innermost bag being further adapted when slidinto encasing relation with the garment on said connected hanger to haveits flaps automatically swung outwards into an open position when thefold lines are brought into contacting relation with the portions of thegarment that are on the ends of said connected hanger.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a device adapted to be used in a drycleaning or like establishment to apply bags to garments or otherarticles on conventional hookequipped hangers and comprising avertically extending rod provided at its upper end with means forsuspending it from a support near the ceiling of the establishment andhaving at its lower end means whereby the hook of a hanger with agarment thereon may be detachably connected to it, a combined supportingand cutting member mounted on the upper portion of the rod, and aplurality of generally rectangular uniformly sized nested paperbagshaving open bottoms, substantially parallel side margins and closed topportions with centrally disposed hookreceiving apertures therein,extending around the rod, having the aperture defining parts of theirclosed upper portions resting normally on the combined supporting andcutting member, and folded inwards on straight upwardly convergent lineswhich extend upwards from the lower corners of the bags to the ends ofthe centrally disposed apertures in the closed top portions of the bagsand result in the upper corner portions of the bags being in the form ofinfolded triangular flaps which give the bags as a whole an upwardlytapered configuration and make for close nesting of the bags, the flapsat one side of the bags being folded forwards and inwards and the flapsat the other side of the bags being folded rearwards and inwards, theinnermost bag being adapted, when a hanger with a garment thereon isconnected to said means on the lower end of the rod, first to be jerkedor pulled downwards in order to release it from the combined supportingand cutting member by causing the latter partially to rupture or severthe aperture defining part of the closed top portion of the innermostbag and then slid downwards into encasing relation with the garment onthe connected hanger, said innermost bag being further adapted when slidinto encasing relation with the garment on said connected hanger to haveits flaps automatically swing outwards into an open position when thefold lines are brought into contacting relation with the portions of thegarment that are on the ends of said connected hanger.

3. A plurality of generally rectangular uniformly sized nested bagsadapted to surround a vertically extending rod and to be temporarilysuspended on a combined supporting and cutting member on the upperportion of the rod, further adapted to he slid downwards one at a timeinto encasing relation with garments or like articles on conventionalhook-equipped hangers, having open bottoms, substantially parallel sidemargins and closed top portions with centrally disposed hook-receivingapertures therein, and folded inwards on straight upwardly convergentlines which extend upwards from the lower corners of the bags to theendsof the centrally disposed apertures in the closed top portions ofthe bags and result in the upper corner portions of the bags being inthe form of infolded triangular flaps which give the bags as a whole anupwardly tapered configuration and make for close nesting of the bags.

4. A plurality of generally rectangular uniformly sized nested paperbags adapted to surround a vertically extending rod and to betemporarily suspended on a combined supporting and cutting member on theupper portion of the rod, further adapted to he slid downwards one at atime into encasing relation with garments or like I articles onconventional hook-equipped hangers, having open bottoms, substantiallyparallel side margins and closed top portions with centrally disposedhook-receiving apertures therein, and folded inwards on straightupwardly convergent lines which extend upwards from the lower corners ofthe bags to the ends of the centrally disposed apertures in the closedtop portions of the bags and result in the upper corner portions of thebags being in the form of infoided triangular flaps which give the bagsas a whole an upwardly tapered configuration and make for close nestingof the bags, the flaps at one side of the bags being folded forwards andinwards and the flaps at the other side of the bags being foldedrearwards and inwards.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a device adapted to be used in a drycleaning or like establishment to apply bags to garments or otherarticles on conventional hook-equipped hangers and comprising avertically extending rod provided at its upper end with means forsuspending it from a support near the ceiling of the establishment andhaving at its lower end means whereby the hook or a hanger with agarment thereon may be detachably connected to it, a combined supportingand cutting member located at the upper portion of the rod, adaptedtemporarily to support a plurality of nested bags with open bottoms andclosed top portions with centrally disposed hook-receiving aperturestherein, and consisting of a sleeve extending around, and slidablelengthwise of, said upper portion of the rod and oppositely disposedblades connected to, and projecting outwards from, the sleeve, and meansadapted to support the combined supporting and cutting members atdifierent elevations on the upper portion of the rod and consisting of avertical series of spaced apart outwardly extending lugs on said upperportion of the rod, the sleeve of the combined supporting and cuttingmember being adapted selectively to rest on any of the lugs and havingin one portion thereof an inwardly facing vertically extending openended channel adapted when the member is rotated so that the channel isin registry with the lugs to permit the member to slide lengthwise ofthe rod into a position where it is disposed over any of the lugs andmay be supported on the subjacent lug by turning it so as to move thechannel out of registry with the subjacent lug No references cited.

